Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 31 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Auditor to conduct a sunrise study of a proposed regulatory measure requiring professional licensure of genetic counselors.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Kaiser Permanente, March of Dimes, Ohana Genetics Inc., and fourteen individuals.

Your Committee finds that professional licensure of genetic counselors will protect the public by ensuring that genetic counseling is provided only by individuals with a high level of training and certification.

Your Committee further finds that an Auditor's sunrise study is required under Section 26H-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, when a new regulatory measure is proposed that would subject an unregulated profession to licensing or other regulatory controls.

Your Committee has amended this measure by adopting the suggestions of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and changed the reference from Senate Bill No. 3231, S.D.1 to Senate Bill No. 3231, S.D.2 to conform with the amendments made in the March 1, 2006 hearing by the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 31, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 31, S.D. 1.